Red Sox Manager Records 500th Win Against Detroit
With the Red Sox 5-1 victory over the Tigers tonight, manager Terry Francona became just the third Red Sox skipper to win 500 games with the club. Francona joins the legendary Joe Cronin and Mike "Pinky" Higgins in this distinction.
Cronin, the former Sox shortstop, managed the club from 1935-1947, all but the last three seasons as a player-manager. He is the only manager in the Red Sox long and storied history with as many as 1,000 wins, and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1956.
However, for all of his greatness as a player and success as a manager, Cronin never led the Red Sox to a World Series Victory.
Francona, on the other hand, led the Sox to two World Series victories in four years, including the team's first in 86 years. Furthermore, Francona managed his way to 500 wins in just 5 1/2 seasons, a rather impressive feat.
The professional Francona responded to the accomplishment in his customarily humble manner.
"That means I've been really lucky with an organization with a lot of players that have been very good and with a staff that helps me out more than I help them," the skipper said.
Francona has guided the Red Sox to the playoffs four times in his first five seasons, the only Sox manager to reach the postseason more than twice. He has won 90+ games four times with the Red Sox, the most in team history. And Francona also has the best winning percentage in team history, among managers with 400 or more games.
Manager Years Record
Joe Cronin 1935-1947 1,071-916
Pinky Higgins 1955-1959, 1960-1962 560-556
Terry Francona 2004-Present 500-362
Bill Carrigan 1913-1916, 1927-1929 489-500
Jimmy Collins 1901-1906 455-376
Jimy Williams 1997-2001 414-352
Don Zimmer 1976-1980 411-304
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